In this article, learn about:
What the buyer’s role at a retailer looks like
Strategies to build trust and prove value as a supplier
Best practices for communicating with buyers
Getting your product on the shelves of a retailer, like Walmart or Target, is a huge milestone, but it isn’t the finish line. Building a positive relationship with your buyer is what keeps your product on the shelves and creates a successful partnership with a retailer.
In this article, we’ll dive into how to foster a strong relationship with your buyers, from pitching your product to proving your value as a trusted business partner.
Getting to Know Your Buyer
Before we get into how to work with a buyer, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of what a buyer does. The breadth or specificity of the role often depends on the size of the retailer.
For example, Walmart might have a dedicated buyer for a very small section of an aisle, like "Men's Socks". They would also utilize a Category Manager to help them draw the modulars (shelf layout) for all WM stores, and utilize their own merchandising team, alongside Supplier-led and 3rd party merchandisers, to ensure the modular is perfectly accurate, and the shelf is full of product. At a smaller retailer, however, a single person may be responsible for many of these tasks, and their decisions would span much larger sections of the store.
What Buyers Do
Strategy & Planning: Selecting the right products for the lineup, managing categories to maximize sales and margins, and sourcing new products to stay competitive.
Supplier Relationship Management: Negotiating pricing and agreements, maintaining strong supplier relationships, and networking at trade shows and industry events.
Execution & Operations: Managing purchase orders, ensuring product displays match plans, and tracking sales and performance to adjust strategies as needed.
What Buyers Care About
Beyond their responsibilities, you may also wonder, “What does my buyer care about?" Buyers want to grow their business and successfully lead their category. They are constantly asking themselves these questions:
Am I poised to hit my sales/profit goals for the year?
Is my category growing or shrinking in the market? Am I performing better or worse than the rest of the market?
Am I capturing the right amount of market share in dollars/units?
Are there innovations surfacing in this category? Can I get exclusive rights to an innovative product or brand?
Based on performance, which suppliers do I want to grow/lean in with this year and which do I want to step away from?
How will commodity costs affect my category?
If you can frame a conversation around how your product/partnership can answer these questions for the buyer, you will be in a great position to help your organization achieve it's goals as well.
How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Buyer
Retail buyers can vary widely in experience and expertise. Some are 30-year industry veterans, while others may be just starting their careers. Understanding where your buyer falls in this spectrum can help you tailor how you present your products and communicate with them. Some buyers may rely on you to educate them about your category, so be prepared to provide clear, actionable information.
It’s also important to keep in mind that there's often a high turnover rate with buyers. Rolling with these changes and adapting quickly is critical. The first six months to a year of a new buyer’s tenure can work for or against you depending on your approach.
Buyers are often pulled in many different directions, as they often maintain relationships with many suppliers. To stand out and build a lasting partnership with your buyer, suppliers should focus on these key areas:
1. Pitch Products that Meets Their Needs/Goals
When trying to get on the shelves of a retailer for the first time, or when trying to get an additional item into an assortment, it’s not enough to just highlight the features or function of your product. You need to demonstrate how your product helps the buyer achieve their goals.
The best way to do this is by researching the retailer’s overarching goals and building a narrative of how your product can fit into (and improve) their item assortment. Focus on demonstrating value in your pitch by:
Sharing financial opportunity: Bring previous sales data or profit margin potential that shows what ROI the buyer can expect. Attach a dollar amount to everything. Buyers want to know how much extra revenue/profit they will get if they follow through on your request. Provide backup data for everything.
Keeping your requests focused: Focus on one or two very specific asks when you meet with your buyer. The fewer the number of requests, the better the chance the buyer will fulfill them.
Proving customer satisfaction: Share positive reviews that show customers are satisfied with your product.
Demonstrating brand alignment: Demonstrate how your products align with and add to the retailer’s overarching brands. For example, if selling to Walmart, share how your product will help customers save money and live better.
By framing your pitch around a buyer’s objectives, you not only demonstrate a strategic and collaborative mindset, but also help the buyer see your product as a solution to their needs.
Related Reading: How to Prepare for a Walmart Line Review
2. Build Trust through Consistent Performance
Getting on the shelves of a retailer is just the beginning. Building a strong relationship with your buyer is the secret sauce for long-term success. There’s no better way to start off the partnership than by doing what you promised and delivering on time and in full.
Most retailers have specific compliance regulations that suppliers must follow—from meeting On Time In Full (OTIF) requirements to packaging, labeling, sustainability, and more. Even minor supply chain issues can quickly snowball into compliance issues and significant deductions. If left unaddressed, compliance issues can erode your credibility with your buyer.
On the other hand, when you meet expectations and follow standards, you build an image of reliability and consistency. Even if something goes wrong, proactive communication with your buyer can go a long way in mitigating the impact.
Related Reading: Vendor Compliance Checklist
For more info, check out Navigating Target's Compliance Policies.
3. Communicate Well
It may seem simple, but communication can make or break your relationship with a buyer. Even if your effort feels one-sided at times, staying proactive can build trust. Prompt responses, regular updates, and flagging issues early can all demonstrate your investment in the partnership.
Respect Their Time
Buyers have a lot on their plates and juggle communications with numerous internal and external stakeholders. When you reach out, keep it brief and provide all the details up front to reduce the need for back-and-forth communications. A good rule of thumb is if your email has to be scrolled through, it’s too long. Since buyers are likely to check their email on their phone, try to keep your emails as concise as a text. Don’t default to calling or scheduling a video call; reserve live discussions for topics that truly warrant them.
Be Direct and Concise
While you may reach a point of camaraderie with your buyer, it’s important to remember that first and foremost, it is a business partnership. When communicating with your buyer, lead with the main topic—whether it’s a request, issue, or question—and then list relevant details as needed. For example, if sending an email to update your buyer to request a change to an upcoming shipment, don’t bury your request in excuses or unnecessary backstory. Simply state your request and provide additional context as necessary.
Communicate in Writing
Always document important conversations, or more preferably, have them in writing. If discrepancies or miscommunications lead to supply chain issues, having email threads or written records can protect your business. For example, if your buyer verbally approves a change that would normally trigger a deduction, but you don’t have the approval in writing, you may not have the documentation needed to dispute that deduction. If the conversation does occur over a call, simply send a follow-up email detailing key points and ask for confirmation that the details are all correct.
Bring Issues Forward with Solutions
There will always be hiccups in the supply chain, even with the most thorough preventative measures. When things do go wrong, it’s important to notify your buyer early and bring potential solutions to the conversation. Offering solutions will go a long way in building rapport with your buyer and resolving issues in a timely manner.
Avoid Redundant or Pointless Communication
Don’t inundate your buyer with emails or calls. While it may be a challenge to get a response from your buyer at times, you lessen the chance of prompt replies by flooding their inbox with emails. Instead, focus on direct, action-driven email communications that state your need, demonstrate your preparation, and make it simple for the buyer to provide you with a direct response.
Related Reading: Result-Driven Emails for Suppliers and Merchants
Find Contacts on BuyerConnect
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